fresh grads! recharge your resume and boost your chances
TRANSCRIPT
Recharge Your Résumé
& Boost your chances!By Chuah Kee Man (www.chuahkeeman.com)Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Curriculum Vitae (CV)An in-depth document of your
qualifications, experience, skills, publications,
achievements, etc. (can be more than 3 pages)
One recent study showed that recruiters spend only
6.25 seconds looking at a candidate’s résumé
before deciding whether he or she is fit for a job.
~Forbes.com
Look for more awesome templates here: http://www.slideshare.net/keemanxp/awesome-templates-that-make-your-resume-
impressive
Layout: The Basics Stick to standard paper size (A4)
and use left or justified alignment.
Use neat and professional layout
(not too fancy/creative)
Use suitable font type and font
size (10-11pt).
Use proper headings for each
section/part
Layout: The Standard PartsUse headings to indicate: Contact Details (No fancy email like
Career Objective (Precise)
Education
Skills
Work Experience
Achievements/Awards*
Activities and Interests*
References
*optional
Language Tips #1
Use strong action verbs when listing your
experiences. Avoid “clichés” or overused
words.
Worst Words (Overused) Best Words
1. Best of breed2. Go-getter3. Think outside of the box4. Dynamic5. Synergy6. Thought leadership7. Value add8. Results-driven9. Team player10. Bottom-line
1. Achieved2. Improved3. Trained/mentored4. Managed5. Created6. Resolved7. Volunteered8. Influenced9. Increased/decreased10. Won
Top KeywordsProblem solving
Leadership
Oral/ Written Communication
Team building
Productivity
Adaptable
Customisation Example:
Highlight your academic strengths (e.g. relevant
courses taken) instead of putting only CGPA.
Customisation Example:
Move specific parts up according to the job. E.g.
Move up skills if your work experience is limited.
Top Job Search Sites
1. JobsDB Malaysia
2. JobStreet Malaysia
3. MyStarJob.com
4. Mudah.my
5. Bestjobs.com.my
Basic Interview Tips
Be Prepared
Be Polite
Be Confident
Be HumbleVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShRr5E4KbxI
Avoid These Statements
o I’m a team player
o I’m a perfect fit for this job
o I’m a perfectionist
o I’m a workaholic
o I have good leadership skills(Be specific,in fact get ready the facts)
E.g. If you are a team player, say “I led my teams during undergraduate years in two important projects namely….”
Be careful of these questions during interviews
o “Tell me more about yourself”
o “Are you willing to be relocated?”
o “Why should we hire you?”
o “Why do you want this job?”
o “If we offer you lower pay, will you accept this post?”
And also the “pause” by the interviewer half way through.
Language Focus during Interview
o Use active voice more instead of passive voice. (e.g. I conducted the project…NOT the project was conducted by me…)
o Use more first-person pronoun (e.g. I, we)
o Avoid using run-on sentences. Pause at the right time to highlight keywords.